Happy Father's Day
by Keki-chan
Summary: Allen returns to his father's grave for the first time since Cross took him in as his apprentice that fateful day. Which memories will resurface during this bittersweet reunion? One-shot, pulled from my deleted collection of short scenes entitled "A Different Perception of Fantasy". Enjoy! Under a new pen name.


I originally wrote this on Father's Day, hence the title. Enjoy some Allen angst~!

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Dark storm clouds float above the silent countryside, the only sound being the light downpour of rain, with the occasional gust wind as the only thing to accompany the otherwise lonely water in its melancholy dance. The living seemed to be taking shelter; waiting in their warm homes for the water to quit its washing over the land. In the large, empty meadow, a single dying tree stood out from the overgrown grass, reminding the few who see it of the loneliness they are lucky enough to avoid. However, at the moment, in the downpour of the rain, the tree wasn't alone; a solitary figure stood, opposing the rain's warning and allowing himself to be drenched in the water as punishment.

The figure stood there, staring at the cement plaque directly in front of him. Unmoving, it seemed as if the tree, storm, man, and plaque were in a universe in which time fails to reach.

The man released a small, sad sigh as he looked from the plaque for the first time in what had felt like an eternity, his eyes burning from his previous unblinking state.

'_This weather is so nostalgic… It's almost sickening.'_

He then looked up at the cloudy sky, his hood falling from his head as he did so, revealing pure white hair that most people would find frightening, and the bloody red scar that so cruelly adorned the left side of his face, crossing through one of his shockingly silver eyes. Allen let the rain fall onto his features, trying to clear his eyes of the infuriating burning feeling that had been pressing on the corners since he woke up that morning.

"I'm sorry, Mana…"

_"Mana! What's wrong?"_

_ "A-Allen…" The man had collapsed to the ground, the bag of apples he was carrying rolling across the cold bricks of the street. The small child beside him began to shake the adult's shoulders, desperately hoping that his father would stand and explain to him that he'd just tripped over a rather unnoticeable rock._

_ "Mana? Are you okay?" Allen knew that the question he'd stated was a pointless one; It was obvious that his father was nowhere near 'okay'. Still, the naïve boy couldn't help but ask, feeling completely helpless in the situation playing out before him._

_ "A-Allen, lis-listen to me…" Mana started coughing violently, the little Allen noting with horror that the substance that flew from his father's lips was a crimson liquid- blood._

_ "I-I need to get you to help-!"_

_ The man interrupted him, placing a trembling hand gently on Allen's gloved left one. Unintentionally the boy flinched, still scarred by the trauma that the revolting limb had caused him through his life. Mana looked at Allen with sad eyes- sad to see the desperate expression across his son's painfully innocent face, sad to realize that he couldn't help the child and that he would never be able to, and sad to realize that the beloved moments he spent with the boy would soon be coming to a close._

_ "Y-You m-must… Continue walking, Allen…" He finally managed to say, trembling as he felt energy leaving him as his heart slowed to a stop, his breathing becoming hitched and frantic while his body desperately craved for more of the precious oxygen._

_ As Mana closed his eyes, the last thing he could hear was his son's wailing scream, begging for him to stay chained to this hellish earth- to not leave his side like everyone else had before._

_ Allen's desperate cries grew in volume as he watched the only person that had ever looked at him with something other than utter disgust fade away, disappearing to join whatever god was cruel enough to continue the child's never-ending torture._

"I just… Felt so alone when you left…" The exorcist could feel the tears once again brimming at the corners of his eyes, but not willing to fall yet.

Allen's knees seemed to suddenly crumble as he kneeled before his beloved father's tombstone, trembling from the chilling feeling that the icy rain brought about, as well as the teen's own frustration at himself.

For a while, the broken exorcist just remained in that position, thinking nothing as the rain refused to sympathize for him and continued pelting him with the frequent drops.

_'However, Mana…' _Allen thought, remembering his father's final demand, '_I will continue walking, for your sake, as well as for the sake of others.'_

With that, the teen found the energy to stand, and he rose to his feet as he pulled something out of his jacket. He slowly reached down to place it on Mana's grave, then backed away.

"Happy father's day, and… I love you too."

Allen then turned, walking away from his father's grave for the second time since he destroyed Mana's soul with his own cursed powers.

The dying tree was once again alone, as was the grave beside it. However, the grey sight that the rain, tree, and grave had created seemed a little less lonely, even if it would only be temporary. The beautiful flowers, painted in the most vibrant of blues, most distinct of reds, the brightest of yellows, and the strongest of purples, that the visitor had set before the grave would make the sight seem more colorful- more hopeful. Perhaps the tree would begin to grow, sometime the next spring. Perhaps this person's grave would one day receive more visitors, grateful for the time when the person was living and walking the earth. Perhaps, even, the visitor himself would emerge from his sorrow, and find a sense of complete unity of his own.

The single visitor had made his visit, leaving a peaceful scene behind him while departing with a knowing tear descending from his eyes, only to join the rain in its fall to the earth. The visitor knew that he most likely would never have a chance to return to the grave again; he knew that may have been the last time that he would be able able to see his father's grave. Yet still, he continued to return to the land of which holds less lonely souls- people that are surrounded by family and friends, and therefore, filled with love. That love was what the exorcist swore to protect, in the hopes that maybe someday, he could receive some.

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Reviews are always appreciated~! ;D


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